The Carpenters Arms has been re-freshed, re-vamped and re-opened for Autumn 2024, after being taken over by the Wren Pubs family, who you might know thanks to the raging success of The Surprise and Walmer Castle. The essense of this much-loved local has stayed the same, but we're digging the look of the new decor which brings both quintessentially British style and a retro-chic aesthetic together.
If you're looking to book just a large table lunch or dinner, you can talk to the team about securing the best spot in the ground-floor dining area. Here, mis-matched vintage chairs and authentic wooden floors ground the space, complemented by chocolate-brown wall panelling and quirky artworks. With a social, relaxed feel, it's perfect for getting together with friends.
Although, if you had something a little more exclusive in mind, head upstairs to the cosy private dining room. Available to book just for you and your gang, the central table has capacity for around 14 people and is snuggled within an ochre-hued dining room decorated with eclectic, personal touches like vintage plates across the walls and well-positioned fabric lamps.
Whether planning a special birthday celebration, overdue catch up with friends or entertaining clients, we think the seasonal food menu which focuses on British produce will go down well. While the offering changes regularly, you can take a peek at the kind of dishes to expect on the website's sample menu.
At the moment, snacks look like Wiltshire cocktail sausages, crispy squid and red pepper hummus, to be washed down with a Botivo Paloma with grapefruit juice, soda water and a wedge of grapefruit. Starters might be Puglian burrata and heirloom tomatoes with basil pesto, shallots and focaccia croutons with balsamic glaze, or sea bass ceviche with cantaloupe, watermelon and cucumber dressed with chilli, coriander cress and lime. While mains look like Somerset pork tomahawk with grilled radicchio and pineapple, alongside herb crusted cod with peas and broad beans, pork lardons and asparagus fricassee and new potatoes.